Circuit-breaker.



H. L. SMITH.

CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

Patentqd Nov. 5, 1912.

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Nat/e 2-52 0?" "Z6 C855 es H. L. SMITH. CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1907.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

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0/ f, I; 7 5 $7-13 4L 0 K 6 2 I I I sting the left-hand jaw a T STATES Farm-arr OFFICE.

v HERBERT L. SMITH, 0F CLINTON, KASSACHUSETTB, ASSIGHOB T0 cm'ron Wm CLOTH COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OI Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Nov. 5,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hmmmrr L. Sun-n, of Clinton, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer-.

tain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved circuit-breaker for machines for electrically welding wire fabric.

Figure 1, in side elevation, shows a portion of a wire fabric welding machine.

equipped with m improved circuit-breaker, the contact -memhers being shown as separated. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the contact members bei shown in contact and the circuit closed. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the construction of the bracket supporting the movable contact member. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the plunger that carries a movable welding-j aw, over which the breaker-mechanism is located, the latter bein removed in this figure. Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing the construction of the contact members of the circuit-breaker and the parts supporting the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the relative arrangement of the two weldingjaws with each other and the spring which actuat'es the right-hand aw, the sp actupearing in ig. 1. e same letters of re erence indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

My lnvention relates to machines for electrically welding wire fabric, as shown in a patent granted to me, dated September 4,

1906, No. 830,018, to which reference may be had for a description of the general machine.

1 represents a portion of the framework of such a machine, in which is mounted a 'reciprocating plunger 2, adapted to be-driven by a cam 3. Said plunger is yieldingly held against said cam by a spring 36'. To the end of the plunger is secured a copper casting 60, by a bolt 62. Flexible plates 63 are connected to the casting 60, by a bolt 64. The,

castings 60, and plates 63, and bolt 62, are insulated from the plunger 2 by insulating material 42. To the face of the casting 60 is secured a contact-plate 4. As shown, the plunger reciprocates in formed in guides 5, 6, and is'held in and screw 7'. means of screws 8, are secured cars 10, 10 of arms 10, 10, that carry a hub 9, formed with a socket 11 a cular plug 12 of insulating material.

. 13 represents a pin extending through the wall of the hub and into the periphery of the plug 12, thus preventing the plug from movmg, and retaining the latter in position. The plug 12, as shown, is formed with a central aperture 14 (see Fig. 5), which, at its left or inner end, terminates in an enlarged recess 15.

16. represents a rod of copper, or other conducting material, arranged in the aperture 14. This rod 16 at its inner end is formed with an enlargement 17 arranged in the recess 15. 18 represents a coiled spring arranged about the rod 16 in the recess 15, and tending-to throw the end 17, constitutes the contact, to the left in 19 represents a washer upon the opposite end of the rod 16, and adapted by contact with the outer end of the plug 12 to limit the movement of the head 17,to the left in Fig. 5.

21 represents a wire arranged on the rod 16 outside of the collar 19 and held in place by a nut 22, in the usual way.

By the described construction, a yielding motion is given to the contact 17 when it is engaged with its complemental contact member 25, which, as shown, is formed on the inner end of a copper rod 26, arranged in a suitable aperture in a hub 27, carried by the upper end of arms 27, 27. The outer end of the rod 26 is formed with a collar 27". An insulating plate 28 is arranged on the rod 26, between the contact 25 and the head of the hub 27. A like insulating plate 29 is arranged on the rod 26, between the collar 27" and the hub 27.

30 represents a cylinder of insulating material, arranged on the rod. 26 between the disks 28 and 29. The cylinder 30 with the disks 28, 29, efiectively insulate the rcd26 from the hub 27".

31 represents a wire arranged on the rod place by a cap 7 26 outside the collar 27*, and held in place by a nut 32, in the ordinaryway. The lower end of each arm 27 carries an aper- To the top of the cap 7, by

to receive a cirtured hub 33, in each of which is arranged a rod 34. The rear end of each rod 34 is arranged in a hub 35 on an arm 10, while the forward end of each rod is carried by a lug 35 (see Fig. 2). Upon each rod 34 is arranged a coiled spring 36 between the hub 33 and the hub 35', said spring tending to throw the hubs 33 to the left in Fig. 1, or, in other words, to separate the contact heads 17 and 25.

38 represents a bar connecting the hubs 33.

39 represents a lever pivoted midway its ends to an arm 40 carried by the forward end of the plunger bar 2, back of the insulating material 42 (see Fig. 1). A coiled spring 43 is arranged between the end 44 of the lever 39 and the arm 40, and normally tends to throw the end 44 to the right in Fig. 1, and the end 46 of said lever downward, in Fig. 1. The end 46 of said lever is shown as formed at its forward end with a catch member'47, adapted to engage .a complemental catch member 48 on the bar 38, when the plunger rod 2 is moved forward from the position shown in Fig. 1, where the contact plates 4 and 50 are separated.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, or in the open or inoperative position of the welding-jaws, and assuming the wire to have been fed in the proper position, by the operation of the mechanism shown in my Patent No. 830,018,

the contact-plate 50 is advanced and thecontact-plate 4 is advanced by means of the plunger 2 and the cam 3 to eifect the proper engagement of the wire. Such advance of the bar 2 causes the catch 47 to engage the catch 48, the bar 38 thus drawing the hub 27 to the right in Fig. 1, until the contacts 17 and 25 are in engagement, as shown in Fig. 2, said movement putting the spring 36' under compression and separating the hubs 33 from the lugs 35. As the metal softens, as explained in patent to Perry, No. 619,692, or in my prior Patent No. 830,018, the welding-jaws are advanced still farther by means of the forward motion of the contact plate 50, due to the action of the springs 505, Fig. 6. Such forward motion of the contact plate 50 brings the adjustable contact-breaker screw 51 into engagement with the arm 44 of the lever 39, thus raising the arm 46 of said lever and lifting the catch 47 up out of engagement with the catch 48. Thereupon, the springs 36 throw the lugs 33 to the left in Fig. 1, separating the contact members 25 and 17 and breaking the circuit at this point. It will be notedthat by means of the springs 18 and 36, I provide for a yielding contact between the contact members 25 and 17 thus insuring their engagement by a positive action of the machine.

The righthand welding-jaw 50 is carried by the copper block 501, secured to and insu lated from a reciprocating bar 502, arranged in suitable bearings 503, 504 in the framework, as in the Perry patent to which reference has been made. 505 represents a coiled spring arranged about the reduced portion of the reciprocating bar 502, one end of said spring resting against the bearings 504, while the inner end of said spring engages the shoulder of the reciprocating bar 502, said spring acting to force the jaw 50 toward the jaw 4, u on t e softening of the metal.

Having t us explained the nature of my invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be used, or all of the modes of its use, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2-- 1. In a machine of the class described, a pair of welding-jaws, one of which is movable during the upsetting operation, a relatively stationary terminal 0 an electric circuit, a complemental movable terminal provided with perforated lugs, a catch member carried thereby, rods carried by said stationary terminal and arranged in said lugs on the movable terminal, coiled s rings upon said rods between sa1d termina s and tending to normally move the movable terminal away from the stationar terminal, a lever, a catch member carried by said lever and arranged to engage the catch member carried b the movable terminal, and means connecte to one of the welding-jaws for operating said lever to disengage said catch members as the welding-jaws approach each other to effect the upset.

2. In a machine of the class described, a pair of welding-jaws, one of which is movable during the upsetting operation, a relatively stationar terminal of an electric circuit, a comp emental movable terminal provided with perforated lugs, a catch member carried thereby, rods carried by said stationary terminal and arranged in said lugs on the movable terminal, coiled springs upon said rodsbetween said terminals and tending to normally move the movable.ter-

movement of the welding-jaws for operating said lever to disenga e said catch members.

3. In a machine 0 the class described, a pair of welding-jaws, means for operating the same combined with a terminal mechanism consisting of a. terminal contact member, an insulated block arranged in said member, means for retainin said block in position, an aperture forme in said block terminating at one end in a chamber, a bar of conducting material arranged in said aperture, formed upon one end with a collar, said bar \upon its opposite end being formed with a contact head arranged in said recess, a spring arranged in said chamber between said head and the wall, forming the end of said recess, a complemental movable contact member, means for holding said members in contact, and means carried by one of said welding-jaws'for releasing said In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of. two witnesses.

. HERBERT L. SMITH. Witnesses:

H. L. RoBBms, ARTHUR H. BROWN. 

